What are your thoughts on Alear?

[Cyan1456]

I'm honestly kinda intrigued! I feel like the amnesia bit has stronger potential in this setting because of how intricately tied Alear is to it as the Holy Dragon. My personal hope is that:

A) They give them a fun personality. I thought Corrin being naive and the center of the universe was hard to read and it was even worse when Byleth did it without a personality. Even if they are worshipped as a dragon to an extent, I want the story to play that. Maybe give it strong political implications, have it be an inconvenience for them relationship or storywise, or heck just make it really funny to watch!

B) I really really hope they do something cool with their amnesia. The context behind it is genuinely fascinating: they've just been slumbering for so long they ended up forgetting pretty much everything about themselves (unless my info is wrong). The fact that they are likely instrumental to the world's history means this could bring about a lot of interesting possibilities. For example, their relationship with each of the four nations, or perhaps maybe a past version of them did something that'll bite them in the present. That's not even getting to them possibly having much closer ties to the Fell Dragon since it, too, has that red-blue design motif (if you look at the CG portion of the trailer).

[whase]

So glad I'm keeping up with this thread. As I said before I really dislike how Alear looks, but with multiple people pointing out how it does fit the world, I'm seeing it as less of a bad thing. Also being reminded that previous games had avatar customization, we might be able to change that hair. After all, the cutscenes are now 3d and any model could be inserted. And we already know we can change outfits. I'm getting more and more optimistic about this game.

As for the amnesia story, wouldn't it be cool if the evil fell dragon was actually Alear, and the rings were used against him to put him to sleep. Obviously not going to happen, but I can see now that there's really cool stuff they can do with it. Here's to hoping they will.

[Door Guy]

I just think the hair memes are funny ngl

[joevar]

1 hour ago, whase said:

After all, the cutscenes are now 3d and any model could be inserted. And we already know we can change outfits. I'm getting more and more optimistic about this game.

As for the amnesia story, wouldn't it be cool if the evil fell dragon was actually Alear, and the rings were used against him to put him to sleep. Obviously not going to happen, but I can see now that there's really cool stuff they can do with it. Here's to hoping they will.

i didnt realize all the cutscene actually 3D model, not hand-drawn animation. until you said it. Even the scene with numerous soldier is 3D from the way they move. kudos to them for actually making 3D look as good as this in FE game now. the artstyle helped too i guess

amnesia because you're the big bad guy? that would be robin 2.0 then. but i can see that happening or at least part of fell dragon sealed within alear, thus the funny hair lore excuse.

Edited September 26, 2022 by joevar

[Ivy Wife Supremacy]

1 hour ago, joevar said:

i didnt realize all the cutscene actually 3D model, not hand-drawn animation. until you said it. Even the scene with numerous soldier is 3D from the way they move. kudos to them for actually making 3D look as good as this in FE game now. the artstyle helped too i guess

amnesia because you're the big bad guy? that would be robin 2.0 then. but i can see that happening or at least part of fell dragon sealed within alear, thus the funny hair lore excuse.

OMG if that’s why the two tone hair is a thing I wouldn’t be surprised. Inb4 the ending is similar except we lose the divine dragon power or Fell part of it like Robin with the Fell Brand. As long as it’s done well I wouldn’t mind the similarity. Alear definitely is gonna have a big impact in this game’s history being a Divine Dragon living that long. Hopefully their amnesia does get resolved and not thrown away to only just relate to the player.

Edited September 26, 2022 by Mage Goddess Lysithea

[Crubat]

Guys, the cutscenes does use a 3d model but it's a separate model from the one ingame, its highly unlikely for them to be able to just change it for every color combination

[Fabulously Olivier]

14 minutes ago, Crubat said:

Guys, the cutscenes does use a 3d model but it's a separate model from the one ingame, its highly unlikely for them to be able to just change it for every color combination

Right. That's ultimately why we lost character customization with Three Houses to begin with.

 

Personally, I'd like it if avatars could go back to having some kind of hood, helmet, etc. for cutscenes so we can have customization back.

[Seazas]

I don't want customization because it led to the garbage first person cutscenes. More set cutscenes was the best thing to happen to the avatar concept because we see them openly react now.

[Cyan1456]

18 hours ago, Seazas said:

I don't want customization because it led to the garbage first person cutscenes. More set cutscenes was the best thing to happen to the avatar concept because we see them openly react now.

This.

The main drawback in using character customization but pre-rendered cutscenes is the fact they practically need to cover the MC's face to keep immersion. This has the side effect of making some season come across as awkwardly shot and severely limits how expressive they can make the MC at important moments.

[sleepy.]

Quote

but I hope that there's more to the whole protagonist being part-dragon thing than just mentioning it once to introduce a new gameplay element and forgetting about it shortly afterwards

Also hoping it won't be Corrin 2.0 where they mention the dragon thing in one cutscene and then you swap to swordsmaster and leave your DStone to collect dust in the convoy.

And on the color scheme, it's definitely out there but if they were another blue hair lord people would just be giving the opposite complaints they are now. I've seen some edits where people lowered the saturation on Alear's hair color to make it pop less and in some respects I think it looks better but, honestly I think they chose right to commit to the really flashy colors, I mean it's an anime game, since when has conservative and muted been the style? I also wouldn't be surprised at all if in a few years people complain about the lords in a new game looking too boring, saying they miss the design of Alear, and having completely forgotten how controversial their design was at the time.

[genesis]

I think Alear being asleep for two years will fit in the context of the characters explaining basic things like culture, worldbuilding etc. Because unlike Byleth which is weird that they can't know basic things despite being a great mercnary and then a teacher,  things to Alear is as alien to them as it's to the player. 

 

Other than that, I deeply dislike their design. 

Edited October 4, 2022 by genesis

[Deathcon]

16 hours ago, genesis said:

I think Alear being asleep for two years will fit in the context of the characters explaining basic things like culture, worldbuilding etc. Because unlike Byleth which is weird that they can't know basic things despite being a great mercnary and then a teacher,  things to Alear is as alien to them as it's to the player. 

 

Other than that, I deeply dislike their design. 

I assume you meant 1000 years.

Also, yeah count me in with the people who like the character concept but think Alear needed more time for redesigns.

[Sidereal Wraith]

I have my reservations about Alear as a whole. For one they have amnesia, just like Robin, which is a trope I’m not really interested in anymore and I find is lazy writing. Also Alear being a dragon just feels like a repeat of Corrin (although let’s hope Alear will be a better character). Plus the clown shoes character design with that hair, which maybe an important plot point, makes me cringe.

[vanguard333]

19 minutes ago, Sidereal Wraith said:

I have my reservations about Alear as a whole. For one they have amnesia, just like Robin, which is a trope I’m not really interested in anymore and I find is lazy writing. Also Alear being a dragon just feels like a repeat of Corrin (although let’s hope Alear will be a better character).

Amnesia can be done very well when it's thoroughly explored instead of just being used to explain the character knowing nothing about what's happening around them. With Robin, I think it worked decently enough both because his amnesia was an actual plot point, as well as the clever reveal that the memories he sees in his nightmares are that of his future Grima-possessed self.

For Alear, the weird thing is that Alear being asleep for 1,000 years is already a pretty good excuse for them to be a fish out of water that needs exposition given to them, so adding amnesia onto that is just redundant unless they're using it for more than just an excuse for Alear needing exposition given to them. So, I am hopeful that they are indeed using the amnesia for more than that. I'm not expecting Bourne-trilogy level of exploring their amnesia, but I am hopeful that they will actually use the amnesia effectively.

 

As for Alear being a dragon, I'm hoping that they utilize the "the protagonist is a dragon" aspect of the character a lot more than they did with Corrin.

[Sidereal Wraith]

1 hour ago, vanguard333 said:

Amnesia can be done very well when it's thoroughly explored instead of just being used to explain the character knowing nothing about what's happening around them. With Robin, I think it worked decently enough both because his amnesia was an actual plot point, as well as the clever reveal that the memories he sees in his nightmares are that of his future Grima-possessed self.

For Alear, the weird thing is that Alear being asleep for 1,000 years is already a pretty good excuse for them to be a fish out of water that needs exposition given to them, so adding amnesia onto that is just redundant unless they're using it for more than just an excuse for Alear needing exposition given to them. So, I am hopeful that they are indeed using the amnesia for more than that. I'm not expecting Bourne-trilogy level of exploring their amnesia, but I am hopeful that they will actually use the amnesia effectively.

 

As for Alear being a dragon, I'm hoping that they utilize the "the protagonist is a dragon" aspect of the character a lot more than they did with Corrin.

I think you could have a fish out of water story without the use of amnesia. Again it’s just an overused trope, especially in anime. How about instead of Alear having amnesia they where just a kid during the war 1,000 years ago, and while they slept they still continued to grow/age? Therefore you can keep the character naive/young while still being able to tell a similar story.

[Deathcon]

1 hour ago, vanguard333 said:

For Alear, the weird thing is that Alear being asleep for 1,000 years is already a pretty good excuse for them to be a fish out of water that needs exposition given to them, so adding amnesia onto that is just redundant unless they're using it for more than just an excuse for Alear needing exposition given to them. So, I am hopeful that they are indeed using the amnesia for more than that. I'm not expecting Bourne-trilogy level of exploring their amnesia, but I am hopeful that they will actually use the amnesia effectively.

 

I assume it will be used so something in the past could be a secret, maybe the Fell Dragon has a vessel and they appear in the present and the only one who knows what they look like has amnesia? I could see that or something similar happening.

15 minutes ago, Sidereal Wraith said:

I think you could have a fish out of water story without the use of amnesia. Again it’s just an overused trope, especially in anime. How about instead of Alear having amnesia they where just a kid during the war 1,000 years ago, and while they slept they still continued to grow/age? Therefore you can keep the character naive/young while still being able to tell a similar story.

That would be the first time Fire Emblem had a grown adult with a child's mind though and it doesn't seem they enjoy that (they don't mind the opposite of course). Plus if S supports are a thing or at least romance endings then it could end up being weird if someone marries someone who has the mind and naivete of a child.

[Sidereal Wraith]

10 minutes ago, Deathcon said:

That would be the first time Fire Emblem had a grown adult with a child's mind though and it doesn't seem they enjoy that (they don't mind the opposite of course). Plus if S supports are a thing or at least romance endings then it could end up being weird if someone marries someone who has the mind and naivete of a child.

Alear could learn and grow as the story progresses. They could start out childlike and innocent, but have to mature as the war continues. A classic coming of age story if you will.

Edited October 8, 2022 by Sidereal Wraith

[vanguard333]

47 minutes ago, Sidereal Wraith said:

I think you could have a fish out of water story without the use of amnesia. Again, it’s just an overused trope, especially in anime.

...Yes, you can have a fish out of water story without needing amnesia; I even pointed out that the 1,000-year sleep, in-of-itself, is one way to have a fish-out-of-water story. My point was that amnesia can be done well when it's used for more than just an excuse for a fish-out-of-water story, and that the character having been asleep for 1,000 years gives me hope that they will use the amnesia for more than just an excuse for a fish-out-of-water story because the 1,000-year-sleep already works as an excuse for such a story.

 

34 minutes ago, Deathcon said:

I assume it will be used so something in the past could be a secret, maybe the Fell Dragon has a vessel and they appear in the present and the only one who knows what they look like has amnesia? I could see that or something similar happening.

That could definitely work; using the amnesia so that things in the past can be kept secret, especially if those things are important to the protagonist.

[DarkLordYianni]

Alear looks pretty good, esp. female version.

 

[Ivy Wife Supremacy]

Eh not really a fan of the female version the colors are too much especially the eyes making it too noticeable and the longer split hair glad the male version as usual is great especially due to having much shorter hair and the right eye shape for the multi color tone!

Edited October 8, 2022 by Mage Goddess Lysithea

[Troublesome Knight]

I don't think Alear even has amnesia. I think Alear has brain fog from being asleep for so long. Like, who wouldn't? Of course if he does have amnesia it could be connected to why he was asleep for so long in the first place. We don't really know yet.

It just occurred to me after I posted that it could be the Doylist reason for him to have amnesia if he really does have it might not be because he's the one who people need to exposit about the world building to, but because he participated in defeating the Fell Dragon the first time around and there might be things the writers don't want him to remember right away about that.

Edited October 9, 2022 by Troublesome Knight

[Ivy Wife Supremacy]

4 hours ago, Troublesome Knight said:

I don't think Alear even has amnesia. I think Alear has brain fog from being asleep for so long. Like, who wouldn't? Of course if he does have amnesia it could be connected to why he was asleep for so long in the first place. We don't really know yet.

It just occurred to me after I posted that it could be the Doylist reason for him to have amnesia if he really does have it might not be because he's the one who people need to exposit about the world building to, but because he participated in defeating the Fell Dragon the first time around and there might be things the writers don't want him to remember right away about that.

That’s what I’m excited the most to see about Alear the amnesia feels like it’s hidden on purpose to have a huge impact later(since it’s kinda hinted) and not just to only be an expose insertion of the player.

Edited October 9, 2022 by Mage Goddess Lysithea

[SSbardock84]

Better than the previous avatars but they need to just step away from avatars entirely already. 

[Ivy Wife Supremacy]

21 hours ago, SSbardock84 said:

Better than the previous avatars but they need to just step away from avatars entirely already. 

That’ll never happen they confirmed in a interview WAY back that they are a staple of the series if that wasn’t obvious enough for you atp.

Edited October 10, 2022 by Mage Goddess Lysithea

[Rose482]

2 hours ago, Mage Goddess Lysithea said:

That’ll never happen they confirmed in a interview WAY back that they are a staple of the series if that wasn’t obvious enough for you atp.

I can't for the life of me remember where, but I think I heard once how they said they would be open to make a game without an avatar??? I don't think I made that up in my head, but have no idea where I heard  that </3 

Edited October 10, 2022 by Rose482